Houdini at the Orpheum. Poster, 1918. Prints and Photographs Division, Library of Congress
From the early 1880s to the end of the 1920s vaudeville was the most popular form of live entertainment in the United States. A vaudeville show was a succession of seven to ten live stage acts, the "bill," which built to a climax with the performance of its top star, the "headliner." A vaudeville bill always included comedians and musicians, but might have included dancers, acrobats, trained animals, magicians, and novelty performers as well. Its form and content had been shaped by a wide range of 19th century diversions, including minstrel shows, the circus, medicine shows, traveling repertoire companies, curio museums, wild west shows, chautauquas, and British Music Hall.
The growth of vaudeville in the late 19th century reflected the rise of urbanization and industrialization in America. Vaudeville's audiences, as well as many of its stars, were drawn from the newly immigrated working classes. Just as goods in the late 19th century could be manufactured in a central location and shipped throughout the country, successful vaudeville routines and tours were first established in New York and other large cities and would then be booked on a tour lasting for months. The act would change little as it was performed throughout the United States. In this sense, vaudeville was a precursor of mass media -- a means of creating and sharing a national culture. While its popularity declined after the 1920s, vaudeville's influence on most popular entertainment forms of the 20th century -- musical comedy, motion pictures, music, radio, television -- was pervasive.
All images are from the Prints and Photographs Division of the Library of Congress, unless otherwise noted.
The Bill
Proctor Ladies Club, 1894. Music Division, Library of Congress
Tony Pastor, 1896. Music Division, Library of Congress
Novelty Acts
Eugene Sandow. 1894
Bicycle Act. 1907
Dog Act. 1921. Dramatic Mirror. New York, 1921. General Collections, Library of Congress
Roly Poly Dancing Dolly. 1915
Frank X. Silk. National Vaudeville Artists Yearbook. 1928. General Collections, Library of Congress
Eva Fay. National Vaudeville Artists Yearbook. 1928. General Collections, Library of Congress
The Three Vagrants. National Vaudeville Artists Yearbook. 1928. General Collections, Library of Congress
Naro Lockford & Co. National Vaudeville Artists Yearbook. 1928. General Collections, Library of Congress
Al Gordon and His Comedy Canines. National Vaudeville Artists Yearbook. 1928. General Collections, Library of Congress
Snoozer Jr. National Vaudeville Artists Yearbook. 1928. General Collections, Library of Congress
Tomah Genero. National Vaudeville Artists Yearbook. 1928. General Collections, Library of Congress
Jean Lee and Gail Leon. National Vaudeville Artists Yearbook. 1928. General Collections, Library of Congress
The Bardelangs. National Vaudeville Artists. Yearbook. 1928. General Collections, Library of Congress
The Agemos. National Vaudeville Artists Yearbook. 1928. General Collections, Library of Congress
The Juggler Felovis. National Vaudeville Artists Yearbook. 1928. General Collections, Library of Congress
Coram & Jerry. National Vaudeville Artists Yearbook. 1928. General Collections, Library of Congress
Family Acts
Daisy and Violet Hilton. 1925
The Dolly Sisters. ca. 1915 - 1920
Eddie Foy with his children. ca.1910. Bob Hope Collection. Motion Picture Broadcasting and Recorded Sound Division, Library of Congress
Buster Keaton. 1908. Dramatic Mirror. New York, 1908. General Collections, Library of Congress
Black Face Acts
Eddie Cantor. 1941
Bert Williams. ca. 1922
Lew Dockstader. 1902
Al Jolson. 1927
McIntyre & Heath. 1916
Dancers
Sally Rand. 1934
Irene & Vernon Castle. 1914
Hope & Byrne. ca. 1925. Bob Hope Collection. Motion Picture Broadcasting and Recorded Sound Division, Library of Congress
Bill Robinson. National Vaudeville Artists Yearbook. 1928. General Collections, Library of Congress
Paul & Grace Hartman. 1935
Fred & Adele Astaire. ca. 1906
Comedy Teams
The Three Stooges. 1938
Montgomery & Stone. ca. 1916
Weber & Fields. ca. 1920
Smith & Dale. 1955
Olsen & Johnson. 1939
The Marx Brothers. 1931
Burns & Allen. 1924. National Vaudeville Artists Yearbook. 1924. General Collections, Library of Congress
Bert Lahr and Mercedes. 1925 .National Vaudeville Artists Yearbook. 1925. General Collections, Library of Congress
Illusion and Magic
The Great Leon. National Vaudeville Artists Yearbook. 1928. General Collections, Library of Congress
Male-female Impersonators
Kitty Doner. 1923
Vesta Tilley. 1906
Julian Eltinge. 1913. New York Clipper. New York, 1913. General Collections, Library of Congress
Ventriloquists
Fred Allen with dummy. ca. 1916
Comic Singers
Jimmy Durante. ca. 1950
Fanny Brice. 1910
Harry Lauder. ca. 1911
Trixie Friganza. ca. 1907
May Irwin. 1898
Elsie Janis. 1910. American Stage of Today. New York, 1910. General Collections, Library of Congress
Willie Solar. 1924. National Vaudeville Artists Yearbook. 1924. General Collections, Library of Congress
Monologists and Entertainers
Will Rogers. ca. 1920
George Jessel. 1932
Bob Hope at the Palace. 1932. Billboard. Cincinnati, 1932. General Collections, Library of Congress
Hope in the Follies
Musicians
Harry Richman. 1932
Ted Lewis. 1931
Borah Minevitch. 1952
Janet Kippen. National Vaudeville Artists Yearbook. 1928. General Collections, Library of Congress
Comedians
Will Mahoney. 1956
W.C. Fields. ca. 1934
Marie Dressler. 1909
Bert Lahr. 1934
Ed Wynn. ca. 1930
Willie Howard. 1941
Molly Picon. ca. 1930-35
Milton Berle. 1952
Jack Benny. 1924. National Vaudeville Artists Yearbook. 1924. General Collections, Library of Congress
Singers/Entertainers
Lillian Russell. 1895
Nora Bayes. ca. 1920
June Havoc. 1924. National Vaudeville Artists Yearbook. 1924. General Collections, Library of Congress
Ruth Etting. 1929. Theater, 1929. General Collections, Library of Congress
Eva Tanguay. 1913. Billboard. Cincinnati, 1913. General Collections, Library of Congress
Actors
Sarah Bernhardt. ca. 1890
Anna Held. 1896
Winnie Lightner. 1927
Fanny Ward. 1894
